I have a Sewer Line Repair and Water Line Replacement Service Contract with HomeServe. After my water line was replaced under that contract in July 2019, there was some major settling in the yard, almost to the point where I thought there would be a sinkhole under the sidewalk. I called HomeServe (who also were great and responsive) who sent out Kramer & Sons to check the area, scope the sewer line to see if that was the issue, and to check to see if a water line leak was the cause. Holly at Kramer and Sons called me back and got things scheduled. She was efficient, knowledgeable, personable and funny! The good kind of funny. :-) She let me know what would happen and when. My scheduled window was 7:30-8:30am. Hurrah for small windows! At 7:28am I got an email letting me know that someone from Kramer & Sons was on their way. There was a live tracker that estimated their arrival time of 7:52am. The tracker seemed a bit off, looking like they were stuck in Springfield (there was bad traffic there), but they made it here by 8:02am. Juan and Reggie showed up and got right to work. After coordinating with HomeServe, they ran a video camera through the sewer line and found that it was not straight -- it had shifted up in one section by 1-2", causing a backup in the line. Additionally they found that the water line replacement backfill had not been done properly and was causing the depressions in my yard and sidewalk. Juan did a great job of walking me through all the issues and they are reporting their findings back to HomeServe. I was thrilled with the work they did and how they did it. Since this work was done under a service contract, I'm not sure how much it would have cost me out of pocket. But their communication and workmanship gave me a lot of trust in Kramer and Sons to the point where I'd call them again for an out-of-pocket job. read more

I'm very disappointed that I paid $1025.00 to replace my water regulator for low water pressure, when it wasn't needed; due to the old water regulator reading the correct psi. read more

They always do a great job and respectful. They've been my go to for my AC replacement and toilet seal fix too. I also feel they are honest about what I need too. read more

I had a mixed experience. Before scheduling, I asked about the process and any fees, and no visit fee was mentioned. At the end of the appointment, the technician brought up a $60 visit fee, which was unexpected and made me feel obligated to pay since it was not disclosed upfront. While the technician was respectful, the assessment felt incomplete. He did not enter the crawlspace to evaluate sump pump placement (the main reason for the visit), and I later learned the information provided about the hose bib location was incorrect. As a first-time homeowner who is very detail-oriented, I found the lack of transparency and thoroughness disappointing. In addition, the estimate was so overpriced. read more

Plumbers are always expensive, but this company was outrageously expensive. A small trip fee of $59 and then a fixed price of at least $180 for each individual item they do, no matter how small. It adds up quickly. I'll stick with a T&M pricing model for the next plumber I call. read more

Terrible company in respect to dealing with customers. Made us wait a week for a quote then told us they didn't have the manpower to do the job. We were working with them through Home Serve. They also said they wouldn't do the job with what Home Serve said they would pay even though we would pay the difference. We asked for a separate quote without using Home Serve and Kramer refused to give us a quote. If you are using Home Serve DO NOT use Kramer because if the job is too big they won't do it. read more

Overkill... they checked my dishwasher. Said yep it needs to be replaced. They were there for 5 minutes. On me for not calling a applicance repair person but the investigation charge was over kill. Not a way to get repeat customers. Wouldn't recommend or ever use again. read more

Unreliable, unaccountable. TERRIBLE business management skills. Bookkeeping is fraudworthy. Absolute disaster. Better off picking up a plumbing book and sticking your butt crack out to troubleshoot it yourself. This guy's a con read more

The company responded promptly to our request that they inspect the main sewer line. The technicians were efficient, respectful of property, courteous and professional. We also appreciated the responsiveness of the office staff. Holly is great. We will definitely use them again. read more

My first impression of Kramer and Sons Plumbing was from Holly the receptionist and she is great! You couldn't ask for a better spokesperson than she. My first impression of the two gentlemen who arrived and step by step explained how they would go about investigating and solving a noise that took place when a toilet was flushed. The solution was replacing the filler valve and that was good news. They charge a flat rate of $59 to come out to your house and identify what needs to be done and then it is an ala carte charge for each thing that is needed. I'm impressed by this company and the employees that came to my home and I'll be calling them for any future plumbing needs. And by the way; they do only plumbing now. John K Nusbaum Reston Va. read more

Really just an underwhelming customer experience. I'd recommend someone else for HVAC, which is disappointing since they installed our system and came recommended by the prevoius owners. Came out to inspect my AC unit and refused to mask while walking through the house. For someone that specifically installs air filters, I felt this was a bit weird, but oh well. Anyway, after asking the tech to mask he was just super confrontational and refused to talk to me for the rest of his visit. Anyway, for $110, they pulled out a second filter I didn't know about in my system, left it on the attic floor and handed me the bill saying that they left it on the floor without any details or support on how to replace the filter. I tried Kramer and Sons with the hope it would be a professional experience and I was sorely disappointed. I'm now left to go clean up and replace the filter on the ground. Long story short, if you're going to pay professional prices, might as well get professional service and someone that will clean up after themselves read more

Their service has a top notch. We had a problem and they solved it in an amazing manner. While they perform great work in an efficient manner, Kramer and Sons definitely looks after their customers. read more

We needed a hot water heater replacement and went through our Homeserve program we have with Dominion. They showed up on time, got the job done within 3 hours of arriving(including having to go get a new HW heater) and were top of the line professional and clean. They priced it completely reasonably as it was $1455 for the entire job versus a $3100 quote we got from Douglas and Sons for the same job. Highly recommended and we would absolutely get them again. Juan was our technician and went above and beyond in explaining everything and doing a thorough job. Much appreciated we ended up getting them to do the work. read more

Kramer & Sons - New HW Heater - Plumbing Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I needed my kitchen faucet replaced (not an urgent job) and Kramer & Sons was recommended to me. I called and made an appointment and was given an estimate over the phone of the costs. They followed up with a confirmation of the scheduled time 3 days prior to my scheduled appointment. The day of my appointment, the office called and told me my technician was on the way. The technician showed up(wearing a mask-COVID times) during the allotted appointment window. We discussed the install and we reviewed the costs and the work expected. He got my faucet replaced in under 30mins. I was very happy with the work and the cost was reasonable. It probably would have cost more in time & money if I tried to do it because I would have messed it up. LOL. Always nice to have a go to plumber. read more

Superlative service. Cannot say enough about the outstanding quality of their work, and just how pleasant it was to work with Seth/company. Gained our highest recommendation. Do yourself a big favor and hire them next you require plumbing or gas service. read more

Kramer and Sons solved a critical water leak in a hot water pipe under our foundation. They expertly assessed the issue and offered a far less disruptive solution. Their novel approach was quicker, less destructive, and less expensive than another company's approach. They performed the job with great skill and delivered a service that exceeded our expectations going into this process. They're great and my go to company! read more

Water heater died this past weekend. Consulted NextDoor.Com and Yelp for recommendations and reviews. Kramer's was one of several companies I called, the third I was able to get onsite, the first to deliver me an estimate and the first to make me feel comfortable. I'd one more company yet to come out, but was decently-sure that Kramer's was going to be my pick. Ultimately, did pick Kramers and glad I did. They were back at my house the next morning. They were quick and efficient at removing the dead water heater. Then were nearly as quick installing and validating the new heater. Before leaving, they gave me a full walk-through of its features, how to do its lifetime service (i.e., springtime flushing; restarting its pilot; disabling it in event of an emergency). Their customer service style is very direct and no-nonsense. No attempts to upsell - in fact, quite the opposite (when I threw some upsell opportunities at them, they actively discouraged the "what abouts" as "usually a waste of your money"). Assuming the installation doesn't go sour over the next few years, would be comfortable/glad to re-engage them for other plumbing needs. read more

Responded quickly over Yelp and followed through with all questions I sent. Their staff called ahead and arrived on time. The service fee and estimate were the most reasonable of all the companies I contacted through Yelp and their personnel were polite and skilled. Will contract with them again if I need their services in the future. read more

Overpriced. Replaced one shut off valve to hose bib. In house less than 40 mins. Charged my foreign mother in law $460. Guy broke the seal between the exterior wall and hose bib and left without re-sealing. Had to have him return a second day to fix the mess he left. Will never use them again. Guy also mentioned the part only cost $25... Additionally, the receptionist answering calls was very defensive when i called to question the cost and possibility of serviceman taking advantage of my mother in law. read more

Kramer and Sons assessed our water line leak. We ulitmately had to replace the line which was a complex job due to the location of our sewer and gas lines. The team was meticulous and precise. And the price was more reasonable than competitors. The owner Seth, took his time to explain any questions we had. You can tell he is a fair and honest business ower. My husband and I highly recommend them. read more

I give three stars because they are a local business, otherwise, it would be one star. I have used Kramer and Sons on a couple of occasions and have been satisfied. I wanted to support a local "small" business and I felt their pricing was good. They also are highly responsive usually having someone out the same day or next. But, this past time I was not happy in that when I called and asked pricing (toilet snake), I was told ".....$59 service fee and $175 (shudder!) to snake. If they find they need to replace the toilet, then it's around $190". Then the dispatcher said "sometimes they can unclog for just the $59 fee". OK that part just sold me. Technicians come and tell me it's $59 plus $190 to snake!!! What a RIDICULOUS amount (as is $175) for a not even five min. procedure. They did waive the $59 after I asked and since I am a repeat customer, but still doesn't excuse 1. the dispatcher giving me inaccurate information, and 2. the RIDICULOUS price of $190. Unfortunately, I feel I will start looking around when I next need service (and will buy my own snake!). IMHO, the person answering the phone should be better informed in order to give true pricing! read more

What I like most about Kramer and Sons is that if you give them a hard problem, they can solve it. All the people I talked to seem to be with it and engaged. The prices are generally by the book predictable and the staff come relatively prepared with tools in most cases. The staff are amazingly amicable and punctual. These are people I could invite to see your family or colleagues without any embarrassment as they are appropriately dressed in uniforms. I also enjoy reading the signage on its vehicles when stuck in traffic. As with any good company, there are always opportunities to aspire to the next level. It would have been even more desirable if my HVAC technician brought some bleach but since I had it, I would recommend to find some before calling them for AC service. In a more perfect situation, I would have liked it if my technician could have removed the tree leaves and ants from inside my condenser unit. In hindsight, it may make a difference whether you get the senior or junior technician but over time I suspect some of those differences can narrow with further mentoring. I think I could have done a better job prepping them by emailing photos of my issue ahead of time so they could be better prepared. Overall, I recommend calling Kramer even for your harder plumbing and HVAC problems because if your problem was easy, anyone including the customer could take care of it. Kramer appears to have a sustainable organization of junior and senior staff so knowledge and best practices can spread. I feel Kramer is a fine resource to call for plumbing and HVAC help. read more

Charge was $299 for 15 minutes of work and $5 for supplies. There is a $190 cost to come out with no work included.

Kramer & Sons is our go-to for plumbing and HVAC. Like so many others, we found out the hard way that we bought a money pit. They've helped us tremendously in holding it together. Their prices are highly competitive, they are very responsive, and the crew--from the office to the guy(s) on the call--are simply good and decent folk. Since I have a room, here are the things we've trusted them with: -HVAC replacement and maintenance -Water heater replacement -Pipe repair -Pipe snaking -Main water shut-off replacement -Hose bib replacement -Broken drain trap replacement On the last, they also connected us with a great, reliable (and very reasonable priced) drywall and paint guy. Give 'em a call. They do great work. read more

Highway robbery! They said $65 for service call on the phone. Technician was in my home for 5 minutes total. Found leak in our gas clothes dryer with his gas leak detector.... He Charged us $250 for the 5 minutes!!!!! I will always tell everyone to stay away from Kramer and sons! read more

After making an online request, a professional and courteous team showed up as scheduled a week later to take measurements and asses the work, and a quote valid for 30 days was sent via email several days after the visit. After some back and forth with the owner via email, I got them the deposit within the valid proposal period, and waited for confirmation of the work start date. And then waited. And waited. Never heard back from the owner. The office dispatcher said something vague about him being out, but after calling back a week later it was the same story. Tried emailing the guy to no avail. I suspect they goofed on the quote and made it too low, and then had a serious case of bidder's remorse and were too embarrassed to revise it. Talk about manners. Oh well - I went with a different plumber and have no regrets other that the time spent with the Kramer and Sons goofballs. I am sure the work itself is acceptable IF they commit. read more

Very Expensive (in my opinion), which is why the two stars. Kramer and Son called by tenant for a toilet leak. Kramer replaced the fill valve, flapper, supply line and tank lever, which they referred to as a "minor rebuild." Total cost was $324, which included $59 service call charge. Kramer said the technician was on site for 1.5 hours. I get that plumbers can be expensive but this seemed like a lot of money to replace parts that can be bought at a hardware store for less than $30. 1.5 hours seems like a very long time for something so basic. I've done it myself in around 20 minutes. Some companies apply the service call charge to the work once you agree to have the work done, Kramer does not. When I expressed my concern, Seth Kramer responded professionally. He explained the many expenses he has to cover as a business owner. Perhaps, they have too many costs, but that's not my business. read more

Kramer and Sons was recommended to me by my realtor and I'm glad they were. The office staff is always friendly and courteous when arranging appointments as well as calling with reminders. Each time I've used them, I damn near fainted when the technicians actually showed up at the precise appointment time. If only the cable company and other service personnel could make that claim... Anyway, the technicians showed up on time and ready to get to work. They put on shoe covers before entering your home and use drop cloths to ensure neatness while they work. Two of the technicians I have used, Danilo and Brandon, worked quickly and thoroughly to get the job done in the least possible time. Kramer and Sons' prices seemed reasonable and I highly recommend their excellent plumbing services. read more

This 5 star review is for the office tech (Sadat) and the plumber (Richard) who came out. Comment: I would agree with the previous reviews that costs are high in general in this area, not just with this company, and that roto rooter may be a better deal, especially for more routine services. But i had the Virginia Dominion Power insurance, so no choice there. (Just make sure you ask Dominion for the plumber's information/phone number, and remember--the insurance DOESN'T cover removing and reinstalling a toilet, so hopefully you have an accessible main waste pipe.) After opening a claim for a waste line blockage with Dominion--basement drains clogged and basically couldn't use any water in the house--Sadat from Kramer and Sons left me a message about 5 minutes later! It was almost 3pm on Tuesday when i called them back and got Sadat. He apologized that he had no plumber immediately on site/available, otherwise he would have sent them right over. But he would put me on first call in the morning, between 730-830 am. After a couple of additional calls back and forth, i was convinced that Sadat was an exceptional customer service tech--helpful, knowledgable and patient! Having a 1950s home, I've become well versed with all types of service providers, and I was impressed. Wednesday at 730 am, Richard was at the front door! He used shoe coverings (ALWAYS appreciate that, especially when you don't have to ask someone first)! He showed me his card and we proceeded to figure out where the blockage was. Richard used decent (GASP-not filthy) drop clothes and covered the complete area. He was very polite and explained what was going on. Once clearing the blockage, he asked if i wanted the toilet reinstalled. I declined after seeing the price tag of about $227 (this after i had already removed the toilet, plus i watch Youtube videos to fix a lot of this easier stuff and, generally, you can use all your household water as usual without having to immediately reinstall a toilet--just cover the opening with a wet towel!). I had also gotten a price from another plumbing company i often use, Kesterson, who charged $425 to clear a sewer line, regardless of the time it takes. But such is life in northern VA/DC. You might consider a move to Ohio! read more

Recently I was concerned about my AC unit. It sounds like a giant explosion everytime the outside unit starts up... and the house takes a really long time to reach the set temperature. I also hadn't had any scheduled maintenance since I bought the house o So I did a search on Yelp and found Kramer and Sons. I had them come out to inspect the system on the morning of Sept 10th. They inspected my AC system and discovered that the head pressure (?) was fluctuating. They recommended that I clean the condenser coil (the outside unit) with a water hose - so I did. Thankfully the technician allowed me to use his water hose (I don't own one), thus saving me quite a bit of money! read more

I was in need of several plumbimg related problems to be fixed. Leaks, clogs, drain issues and a toilet repair. I called and spoke to Seth who provided me with several dates amd times to choose from. After the estimate was provided, I shopped around and found they were very reasonable. One company was more expensive and was unavailable for over a week. A couple others were close in price but didnt represent themselves as professionally. I paid a little more for peace of mind and received a perfect outcome. Also..I like supporting independent companies over huge corporations . I recommend this company since they took such good care of me. read more

After weeks of looking for a plumber who can fix tankless water heater, we finally found them! They are very professional, and provide good service. A little pricy but their service worth it 100%! Will definitely use them again if any repair was needed. read more

Given their reviews good online regarding high rise condos, I decided to give them a call. When I spoke to Sadat via telephone, he was super friendly. He answered all of my questions and didn't make me feel lame for asking 'dumb' questions as I know little/nothing about plumbing. I had them come out and look at my tub overflow plate. A gentlemen, by the name of Julio, came out. He was super friendly and very thorough. He actually drew me a diagram of how the the drainage is supposed to work and how he would need to access certain areas in order to make the repair. He actually spent about 90 mins with me explaining everything and giving me options of what I could do. We will be calling them back when we are ready to do the work, as it's outside of my current budget, so I need to plan for it. It's definitely a hefty estimate, but only b/c of the work/access involved to fix what needs to be done. Overall, very satisfied with my experience with Sadat and Julio! Kudos to you guys! I will be calling you again when I'm ready!! read more

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. They will charge you $259 to cut dry wall and they do not include that in the price of the repairs. I was given an oral quote for work of 818 dollars, which I thought included the cost of opening the area. Then, after I agreed, I was told the price was over $1,000 because the charge to cut the area was not included. I called, and was told by a representative of the company that I the tech offers people the opportunity to cut the area so the cost is not incurred. I was made no such offer. The invoice was not written so I estimated the amount charged was 350. I was later accused of not giving inaccurate information as a reason why I would not be refunded. The area cut was about 2.5 feet by 2.5 feet. Either way the amount is a rip off. People in a pandemic should not be charged $259 to cut drywall. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!! read more

I had a relative plumbing emergency; a faucet was leaking but was rusted and did not budge. The Kramer secretary warned me that it would cost $60 just to diagnose the problem. I said ok. The plumber came and sawed through a nut, freeing up the faucet for removal. For that he charged a total of $245. Then he said that to put a new faucet in, he would charge $611 after I bought the faucet! This must have been a "special" price for women. They often don't know what's involved and are used to being overcharged. Fortunately there were better solutions. As others have written, shame on you Kramer. read more

I asked Kramer and Sons to come because garbage disposal wasn't working. I thought the Angie's List award would commend them. They replaced it, with travel fee, for $525!!!!! This is at least $200 more than any other place. I looked it up. In 2011, the average price at my zip code to replace garbage disposal with materials and labor was ($269-$352). Then my dishwasher quit draining so I called a different place. Turns out that when Kramer replaced the disposal, the hose was too long (should have been shortened) so it had a kink in it (as well as was clogged). The 2nd repairman shortened the hose. He said he would have only charged me $250 for the original disposal job (that Kramer had charged $525). Though the company was on time and clean, the price would definitely keep me from recommending them. read more

I requested service for a leaking faucet and was given a 30 minute window between 7:30-8:00 am. As I am a patient person, I waited until noon for either someone to show or call. I received neither. Very disappointing as the folks on the phone were very nice. Obviously, someone dropped the ball. A potential customer...lost and definitely no recommendations. Had to call someone else. read more

These guys are amazing - responsive, well qualified and extremely knowledgeable. A special shout out to Sadat who is the type of employee everyone wishes they had. read more

Kramer and Sons gave us three solutions to our ailing HVAC system ranging from limping it along to replacing the whole works. Their analysis was thoughtful and clearly presented with pros and cons. We decided to replace the whole thing. They did the work within four days of our accepting the estimate. Because the unit we had signed up for was out of stock at the dealer, the dealer upgraded it at no extra cost but Kramer still called to make sure we would find the upgrade acceptable (yes, please!). Kramer and Sons explained how they were going to do the job to get us functioning air conditioning in a day, and finish up with the extras on the second day. They showed up right on time both days and were friendly and professional. The job they did with the humidifier and air cleaner on the furnace was practically art work it was so neatly executed. After they finished, they took time to make sure we understood how to work the control panel and how to care for the air cleaner. Kramer and Sons have helped us twice, once for a smaller job and now for this huge job. We could not have been more pleased. read more

Outstanding! Water heater went out this weekend. I called Monday and while they were completely booked, they got me a 1 hour window first thing Tuesday morning. Came right at the beginning of the window and at 8:30 the repairs were completed! Julio was professional and courteous. Cost was reasonable. Didn't try to up-sell me to replace the unit and gave me pointers on what to watch for with an older water heater. Will definitely use again and recommend to others. read more